2025-08-31-accounts - Sevenoaks Symphony Orchestra

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2024-5 Sevenoaks Symphony Orchestra Annual Report

Charity reference information

Charity name: Sevenoaks Symphony Orchestra Charity registration number: 1057071 Correspondence address: 9A Bourchier Close Sevenoaks Kent TN13 1PD

Trustees as at date of report:

Additional trustees during the financial year reported:

John Hendry - Chairman Anne Webster - Secretary Charles Hebert – Membership Secretary Debra Coote – Treasurer David Floyd – Librarian Nadia Courtenay Elizabeth Crawford Usher Jonathan Jaggard Jane Moore None

Structure, governance and management

Sevenoaks Symphony Orchestra is governed according to its constitution as adopted on 5 June 1996 and revised in 2017. Sevenoaks Symphony Orchestra is unincorporated. Appointment of trustees is by election by Sevenoaks Symphony Orchestra members at the Annual General Meeting.

Reserves policy

It is the Sevenoaks Symphony Orchestra’s policy to hold at least £15,000 in reserves for contingency purposes. To determine the size of the required reserves, we have considered the recommended charitable standard of approximately twice the “costs of the day” of producing a concert.

Objectives and activities

Objectives

As stated in the charity constitution:

The objects (hereinafter called "the objects") of the Society shall be to promote, improve, develop and maintain public education in and appreciation of the art and science of music, and in particular orchestral music, in all its aspects by the presentation of public concerts and recitals and by such other ways as the Society may from time to time decide; and for the general purposes of such charitable bodies or for such other purposes as shall be exclusively charitable as the Society may from time to time decide.

The charity has considered the public benefit of the objectives and activities of the orchestra. The giving of public concerts ensures that the benefits are available to the public. The concert ticket prices are such that these are not prohibitively expensive and in the case of the children's concert are significantly below cost in order to

encourage attendance. In addition the £2 tickets for under 19's at the 3 main concerts have been widely taken up. These have risen from £1 per ticket following a pricing policy change by the Stag to include a £1 per ticket charge within the ticket price. The orchestra receives £1 for each of the £2 tickets sold.

Activities

The orchestra has had a busy and successful year of activities. We kicked off the year with a ‘Play for Pleasure’ social event, followed by our annual family concert in October, three standard concerts, and a joint concert with Sevenoaks Philharmonic Choir, all of which were well attended. We also held a number of social events for members and patrons.

Achievements and performance

Feedback from audience members has been very positive, in terms of both the standard of playing and the selection of music performed. We are continuing to work hard to raise awareness of the orchestra’s activities amongst those who may not traditionally attend classical music concerts to build up future audiences. Membership of the orchestra is strong.

Financially, the orchestra is also stable. Income was lower than expenditure, for the second year running, but balances are still healthy and we have two years’ worth of Gift Aid still to claim.

Signed on behalf of the trustees

Debra Coote 26 November 2025

Sevenoaks Symphony Orchestra

Annual Accounts for the Year Ended 31st August 2025

Statement of Financial Activity

Incoming Resources
Incoming Resources from Charitable
Activities - Concert Income
Season Tickets
Tickets
Sponsorship
Advertisements
Total Concert Income
Voluntary Income
Patrons and Other Donations
Members Subscriptions
Sundry Donations
Tax Recoveries (Gift Aid)
Grants
Other
Investment Income - Interest
Total Incoming Resources
Expended Resources
Conductor
Soloist
Leader
Professional Musicians
Music Hire
Rehearsal Hall
Concert Hall
Instrument Hire
Printing & Publicity
Programmes
Memberships (Making Music and MMP)
Card Payment Fee
Other
Total Resources Expended
Net Incoming Resources
Total Funds Brought Forward
Total Funds Carried Forward

Unrestricted
Restricted
Total
Total
Funds
Funds
2024/5
2023/4
(Cello Fund)
2,565
2,565
2,790
14,572
14,572
11,841
0
0
747
747
500
17,884
0
17,884
15,131
4,035
4,035
4,238
8,410
8,410
8,468
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
855
855
1,025
Note 11
91
91
101
31,275
0
31,275
28,963
8,305
8,305
8,109
2,850
2,850
1,673
3,198
3,198
3,597
5,272
5,272
5,240
2,099
2,099
726
1,435
1,435
1,540
6,762
6,762
6,078
67
67
0
2,990
2,990
1,860
1,687
1,687
1,433
567
567
692
25
25
25
1,386
1,386
922
Note 12
36,643
0
36,643
31,895
-5,368
0
-5,368
-2,932
47,017
150
47,167
50,099
41,649
150
41,799
47,167

Sevenoaks Symphony Orchestra

Annual Accounts for the Year Ended 31st August 2025

Balance Sheet as at 31st August 2025

Fixed Assets Current Assets Debtors & Prepayments Cash at bank and in hand Total Current Assets Creditors: amounts falling due within one year Net Current Assets/Liabilities Net Assets Funds of the Charity Unrestricted Funds Restricted Funds - (Cello Fund) Total Funds Signed by Debra Exall, Treasurer on behalf of all the Trustees	Unrestricted Restricted Total Funds Funds 2024/5 - 0.00 - - 4,203 4,203 37,970 150 38,120 42,173 150 42,323 -524 - -524 41,649 150 41,799 41,649 150 41,799 41,649 41,649 150 150 41,649 150 41,799 ………………………………… Signature ………………………………… …………….. Name Date of Approval	Total 2023/4 - Note 8 4,758 Note 9 42,634 47,392 -225 Note 10 47,167 47,167 47,017 150 47,167

Page 2

Sevenoaks Symphony Orchestra

Annual Accounts for the Year Ended 31st August 2025

Notes to the Accounts

1 Basis of Preparation
1.1 Basis of Accounting

These accounts have been prepared on the basis of historic cost in accordance with; Accounting and Reporting by Charities - Statement of recommended Practice (SORP) FRS 102, Accounting Standards and with the Charities Act 2011.

There has been no change in the basis of accounting since last year and no changes have been made to the accounts for previous years.

2 Accounting Policies

2.1 Incoming Resources

Incoming Resources are included in the Statement of Financial Activities (SOFA) when SSO becomes entitled to them, the trustees are virtually certain they will receive the resources and the monetary value can be measure with sufficient reliability.

Concert income is recognised in the concert season to which that income relates.

Income from concerts and the related expenditure are reported gross in the SOFA.

Grants and donations are only included in the SOFA when the charity is unconditionally entitled to the resources. Incoming resources from tax reclaims are included in the SOFA when received.

2.2 Expenditure and Liabilities

Liabilities are recognised as soon as there is a legal or constructive obligation committing the charity to pay out resources.

2.3 Assets

Tangible fixed assets for use by the charity are capitalised if they can be used for more than one year and cost more than £500.

3 Detailed Analysis of Incoming Resources and Resources Expended

APPENDIX A comprises a schedule of direct Income and Expenses, analysed by concert, with all other indirect income and expenses listed separately.

Page 3

Sevenoaks Symphony Orchestra

Annual Accounts for the Year Ended 31st August 2025

Notes to the Accounts

4 Trustee remuneration, benefits and expenses

No trustees receive renumeration or benefits

No trustees have claimed travel expenses

Trustees have been reimbursed for costs properly incurred in delivering the charitable activities of the Orchestra, including costs of hiring music, advertising and promoting concerts and providing flowers for soloists etc.

5 Related party transactions

There were no related party transactions requiring disclosure.

6 Fees for Examination of the Accounts

The Independent Examiner has not been paid any fees or expenses for examining the accounts

7 Paid Employees

The charity has no paid employees.

8 Tangible Fixed Assets

The Orchestra owns a set of music stands and concert display boards, which have been held for some time and fully written off since acquisition. The Trustees estimate the aggregate value of this equipment at £1,200 in total.

The orchestra also owns a set of cymbals and a cello which are valued at below the capitalisation threshold

Future acquisitions of fixed assets in excess of £500 will be capitalised and depreciated at appropriate rates.

9 Debtors and Prepayments Debtors Ticket sales Prepayments Music hire Printing & publicity Stag concert deposits Rehearsal hall hire (Bat & Ball community centre)	2024/5 £ 0 265 772 2,880 286 4,203	2023/24 £ 1,658 159 721 2,220
		4,758

Page 4

Sevenoaks Symphony Orchestra

Annual Accounts for the Year Ended 31st August 2025

Notes to the Accounts

10 Creditors and Accruals Accruals Piano Tuner (May 24 concert) Season tickets for next season Creditors Making Music - PRS for summer concert 11 Other Income Play for Pleasure receipts Easy fundraising Teas Total 12 Other expenses Gift, flowers for Soloist Audience refreshments Website & Domain hosting PRS Fees Refreshments Play for Pleasure Piano Tuner Pamoja hall May 2024 concert Piano Tuner Pamoja hall May 2025 concert Cards and Gifts Tea and biscuits Four Last Songs words in programme Bank Charges Christmas party plates and napkins Accounting System Fee Deduct cost of piano tuner for May23 concert Unrecorded deposits recovered Purchase of cello using Cello Fund, loaned to SSO Member Total	2024/5 £ 0 -320 -204		2023/4 £ -180 -45
	-524		-225
	2024/5 £ 180 121 554		2023/4 £ 196 384 445
	855		1,025
	2024/5 £ 42 0 163 536 79 0 190 37 86 0 60 7 186 0 0 0		2023/4 £ 76 86 163 67 119 180 107 68 120 60 186 -170 -240 100
	1,386		922

Page 5

Sevenoaks Symphony Orchestra - APPENDIX A

Detailed Statement of Financial Activities for the Year Ended 31st August 2025

Subscription Concerts and Development of Repertoire	Subscription Concerts and Development of Repertoire	Subscription Concerts and Development of Repertoire	Subscription Concerts and Development of Repertoire	Other Concerts	Other Concerts	Total 2024-5	Total 2023/4
Winter 2024	Spring 2025	Summer 2025	Repertoire	Family Concert	Joint Concert with SPS
855 3,677	855 1,906	855 4,380		2,488	2,122	2,565 14,573	2,790 11,841
4,532	2,761	5,235	-	2,488	2,122	17,138	14,631
1,610 564 625 1,110 59 210 1,680 407 401 120 19	2,520 714 760 1,465 133 455 1,696 471 361 62	1,870 514 690 780 789 280 1,056 418 346 204 190	130 70 175	1,110 350 585 1,115 205 140 1,680 328 309 81 45	1,065 750 468 802 913 175 650 259 269 69 23	8,305 2,892 3,198 5,272 2,099 1,435 6,762 1,883 1,686 536 190 - 87	8,109 1,749 3,597 5,240 726 1,540 6,078 1,860 1,433 67 180 86 120
6,805	8,637	7,137	375	5,948	5,443	34,345	30,785

(2,273)	(5,876)	(1,902)	(375)	(3,460)	(3,321)	(17,207) (16,154)
						4,035 4,238 8,410 8,468 91 101 - - 747 500 855 1,025
						14,138 14,332
						567 692 163 163 186 186 1,106 60 60 80 119 18 107 86 67 25 25 7 -240 -170
						2,298 1,009

						11,840 13,323
						(5,367) (2,831) 47,017 49,849
						41,649 47,017

Page 6

Independent examiner's report on the accounts

Section A Independent Examiner’s Report

Report to the trustees

Charity Name Sevenoaks Symphony Orchestra

31[st] August 2025 1057071 1 to 6

On accounts for the year ended Charity no (if any) Set out on pages

(remember to include the page numbers of additional sheets)

Responsibilities and basis of report

I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity (“the Trust”) for the year ended 31[st] August 2025.

As the charity's trustees, you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (“the Act”).

I report in respect of my examination of the Trust’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination, I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.

Independent examiner's statement

I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect:

the accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act; or
the accounts did not accord with the accounting records; or
the accounts did not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a ‘true and fair’ view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination.

I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

Signed:

Date:

Name:

11/11/25

Oct 2018

IER

Richard Gilbert

Relevant professional qualification(s) or body (if any):

Retired Chartered Accountant

Address:

Ryefield, Packhorse Road,

Sevenoaks

Kent. TN13 2QP

Section B Disclosure

Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight material matters of concern (see CC32, Independent examination of charity accounts: directions and guidance for examiners).

Give here brief details of any items that the examiner wishes to disclose .

Oct 2018

IER